ONEOK invests in gas processing in North Dakota

BISMARCK, N.D., Nov. 20 (UPI) -- North Dakota Gov. Jack Dalrymple said an investment decision from energy company ONEOK will help reduce natural gas flaring in his state.

ONEOK Partners announced plans to spend $680 million to build its sixth natural gas processing plant in North Dakota to handle reserves from the state's Williston reserve basin.

"ONEOK Partners continues to be a strong partner in our continuing work," the governor said in a statement Tuesday. "Because of their significant investments in our state, we are able to further reduce flaring and increase the market opportunities for North Dakota's natural gas."

North Dakota lacks the infrastructure necessary to take full advantage of natural gas associated with oil reserves in the state at the heart of the shale oil and natural gas boom.

"We continue to work with private industry to expand our take-away capacity, to add value to the natural gas produced in western North Dakota and to reduce the flaring of this valuable energy resource," Dalrymple said.

The company, which has headquarters in Oklahoma, said the plant will be able to process 200 million cubic feet of natural gas per day when it's completed in 2015. The company added it would invest $100 million more to expand the carrying capacity of its Bakken natural gas liquids pipeline.

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